How to Cope
by I-Got-You
Summary: Takes place after the movie How to Deal ends. Halley now has to cope with the changes in her life. Her best friend just had a baby, her father and sister just got married, and her mom has a boyfriend. Will she learn How to Cope in time?
1. Only the Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own anythig related to the movie.  
  
Chapter 1: Only the Beginning  
  
Info: This starts where the movie ended. Halley has to cope with the changes in her life.  
  
Ok, now that Scarlett had her baby, everything changed. I know things change after a baby is born, but seriously, we were doing more things alone.   
  
She always had to feed it or change it. Don't get me wrong, I love babies, and I wanted her to keep it, but I never thought it would be this hard.  
  
Of course, me and Macon were still together, I did forgive him although he was to make it up to me.  
  
"Macon, you promised." I said dragging him to an all night chick flick movie marathon and I also said "You made me sit through the Star Wars Marathon."   
  
"I thought you wanted to." He replied.  
  
"Only because you used that mind trick on me." I said.  
  
"Oh yeah, maybe I can use that now." He said looking up and thinking.  
  
"No, don't even try. You are going in here because you promised." I said.  
  
We walked into the theater and went to the marathon.  
  
My mom was making breakfast when I strolled in and this time she didn't almost kill me with flying fruit.  
  
"Where have you been?" She asked.  
  
"The movie marathon. Remember I told you about it." I said eating a piece of bacon.   
  
"You could at least told me it was all night." She said mixing the eggs.  
  
"I did, but wait, you were too busy with your own life." I said heading for the stairs.  
  
"Halley. Halley Martin." She said as I walked upstairs.  
  
"I'm taking a nap." I yelled downstairs.  
  
"Your father is picking you up at eleven." She yelled upstairs.  
  
I walked down the stairs and asked "What?"   
  
"Your father is picking you up at eleven. You are having lunch with him." She said.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.  
  
"I did, but wait, you were to busy with your life." She said walking into the kitchen. I followed her.  
  
"You mean I have to spend my lunch with 'Daddy Dawg and Mama Dawg'?" I asked and also "I might as well throw up now."  
  
"Halley." She said again dishing the eggs into a bowl.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"He's your father." She simply said.  
  
"Yes, why doesn't Ashley have to spend time with him?" I asked all ready knowing the answer.  
  
"She is is married now and has her own life to live." My mother explained.  
  
"So do I. Why doesn't anyone think about me, before making decisions about me?" I asked sitting down for breakfast.  
  
"We only think of what's best for you." She said sitting too.  
  
"What if what you think is best for me isn't?" I asked.  
  
"Halley, just eat. It's not the end the end of the world to have lunch with you dad." She said dishing herself some breakfast.  
  
"It will be if she is there." I said refering to my dad's new wife.  
  
"Halley, you have to at least try to like her, after all, she is your step-mother." She said.  
  
"No she's not, she's just my father's wife, nothing more, nothing less." I said trying to eat.  
  
"Halley." She said again.  
  
"Why do you keep saying my name like that?" I asked.  
  
"I am trying to keep you calm." She said.  
  
"I don't want to be calm and I don't want to have lunch with my dad." I said standing up and walking away.  
  
"Halley, you will come sit down and eat your breakfast." My mother demanded. I sat back down and we ate in silence.  
  
Well, it wasn't the end the world. She wasn't there.   
  
"Come on Halley, you haven't spoken at all." My dad said.   
  
"There's nothing to talk about." I replied.  
  
"How's you friend?" He asked.  
  
"You mean Scarlett?" I asked and he nodded and I said "Not bad, adjusting to the baby."   
  
"How about the boy?" He asked refering to Macon.  
  
"He's ok. He's still paying back what he did over New Years." I said spinning my ice in my drink. It's a habit when I get bored.  
  
"Well, that's good." He said.  
  
"Dad, you better not use any of this in your show." I said. He likes to use our life stories on his radio show.  
  
"I promise I won't." He said crossing his heart.  
  
"There you are Len." His new wife, Lorna, said walking over to us. Man, why does she have to be here?  
  
"Hi, baby." He said kissing her as she sat down.  
  
"Hi Lorna." I said politly.  
  
"Well, hi Halley. It is very good to see you again." She said with her famous smile. What does my dad see in her? Besides a young body.  
  
After lunch, my dad dropped me off at home.  
  
"Bye Halley." He said as I stepped out. Lorna wasn't with.  
  
"Bye dad. Thank you for lunch." I said shutting the door. I can be polite to my dad, but not the wife.  
  
I walked inside and found my mom, talking on the phone.  
  
"Well, Steve, don't do that." She said. Steve was her boyfriend. She also said "Can I call you back? Halley just came home." Then she hangs up the phone. I start to walk upstairs. She asked "So, how was it?"   
  
"Boring until she came, then it was annoying." I said walking to my room. I heard my mother's footsteps. She walked in my room.  
  
"She was there? It isn't for her, it's for you and him." She said.  
  
"I was being polite to her, but I can't stand her anymore." I said sitting on my bed.  
  
"Well, good. If your not polite to her, your father will be upset at you." My mother explained.  
  
"But shouldn't I come first? After all I am his own flesh and blood. She's just married to him." I asked grapping a pillow.  
  
"Just be nice to her. You don't see everyday." My mom said.  
  
"Thank God." I said laying down on my bed.  
  
"Halley, can you hand me the wipes?" Scarlett asked. She was changing her baby. I handed them to her and then I sat on her bed.  
  
"Do you think I should try to get use to my dad's wife?" I asked.  
  
"Do you want a relationship with your dad?" She asked putting the baby in it's crib.  
  
"No, yeah, I don't know. A little one. I want to spend time with him, without the new wife." I explained.  
  
"Then just tell him that you want that." She said sitting next to me.  
  
"Ok. Did you hear anything back from Micheal's parents?" I asked. They moved after Micheal died and Scarlett had to send them a letter telling them that she was pregnant with their son's baby.  
  
"They still don't believe me. They think I want money. I don't. I can raise this baby without them." Scarlett said looking over at the crib.  
  
P.S. What da ya Think? I don't remember what Scarlett had. In the book, she had a girl, but in the movie I don't remember. 


	2. Babysitting

Diclaimer: I don't own anything related to the movie.  
  
Chapter 2: Babysitting   
  
"Macon, stop." He was tickling me. We were at my place.  
  
"Why?" He asked.  
  
"Otherwise, I'll pee my pants." I said.  
  
"Fine." He said. He stops and I quit laughing.  
  
"What do you want to do know?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know." I said. He starts to tickle me again.   
  
The phone started to ring.   
  
"Macon, let me answer the phone." I said. He stopped and I reached over and picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Halley. It's Scarlett." She said.  
  
"What's up, Scarlett." I asked.  
  
"Can you watch Grace?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, when?" I asked trying to keep Macon from tickling me again.  
  
"Tonight?" She asked.  
  
"Sure, I have nothing going on." I said.  
  
"Geez Halley, you make it sound like it's a big inconvience." Scalett said.  
  
"It's not, I was just saying I have nothing going on and I can wath Grace." I said. Serioously, I don't.  
  
"No, that's fine, I can just go out some other time. Bye Halley." She said hanging up on me.  
  
I dailed her number. "Hello?" I heard her answer.  
  
"Scalett, I can watch Grace, I seriously have nothing planned to night. I would love to watch her." I said.   
  
"Fine, come over at eight." She said.  
  
"Ok. Bye." I said hanging up on her.  
  
I went over at eight and found Scalett all dressed up.   
  
"Where you off to?" I asked as she took Grace out of the crib.  
  
"I have a date." She said with a smile.  
  
"With who?" I asked.   
  
"Kyle Hammit." She said handing Grace to me.  
  
"Have fun." I said  
  
"Ok, first about Grace. She has to be asleep by 8:30, make sure you cahnge her diaper. She likes when you hold her and walk around. There's a bottle in the fridge. Diapers are here, lay her on her back, and turn this night light on. Gracie, mommy has to go now. I will see you later. Mommy loves her Gracie." Scarlett explained and then kissed Grace goodbye. "Bye Halley and thank you."   
  
"Have fun." I said. We waved as Scarlett went off.  
  
I was asleep when Scarlett gothome. She shoke me and said "Halley, wake up, I'm home."   
  
"Mmm, Hi." I said sitting up.  
  
"Was she good for you?" She asked walking over to the crib. Grace was sound asleep.  
  
"Yes, we played a game, and I fed her the bottle, then she want to sleep." I explained our night and then asked "How was your date?"  
  
"Good, When I told him that I had a baby, he didn't run off. He wants to see me again." She said.  
  
"That is wonderful." I said.  
  
"Well, thank you for watching her. I really needed to get out." She said.  
  
"You are welcome." I said hugging her. I walked home.  
  
P.S. What da ya Think? I know it's short, but I'm having writer's block. Any ideas would be great. 


End file.
